Barriers
by kerianne
Summary: McKay and Beckett have a chat after the events of "Hide and Seek". Short vignette with slashy subtext.


Title: Barriers   
Author: Kerianne   
Pairing: McKay/Beckett   
Rating: G with mild slash subtext  
  
"So, am I going to die?"  
  
Dr. Carson Beckett barely resisted the urge to chuckle, looking down at the man in the bed. "I'm afraid I've got some bad news for you, Rodney," he said seriously.  
  
"What?" Rodney McKay's eyes widened theatrically. "I'm doomed, aren't I?"  
  
"No, it's just that you're gonna have to retire the 'dead man walking' routine, because you're fine. That thing didn't touch you."  
  
"Oh." The Canadian scientist sagged back against the bed, visibly relieved. "Very amusing." He paused, frowning. "So... then why did I... you know..."  
  
"Well, taking into account the exertion and the excitement and the fact that you hadn't eaten much all day, I imagine you got a bit overwhelmed," Carson responded. Catching the other man's glare, he quickly added, "In a very _manly _sort of way, that is."  
  
"Uh-huh." Rodney sat up and stretched, allowing the covers to fall away. "So, am I free to go? I can't wait to try out some of the other Ancient technology--"  
  
"Er, not so fast there," Carson interrupted, trying not to imagine any of the myriad other ways Rodney could get himself into trouble thanks to his overenthusiasm about the new gene. "Dr. Weir has requested that you take some time off to rest and recover."  
  
"I thought you just said I was fine!"  
  
"You're not injured, true, but you do appear to be suffering from a bit of exhaustion. You've already fai--" Carson caught himself just in time and turned the offending word into a muffled cough. "-- _passed out_ twice today. You need rest."  
  
Rodney sighed, settling back with an air of irritated resignation. "I do have a bit of a headache," he muttered, lifting a hand to his forehead briefly. "I guess I could take a few hours off." A thought seemed to occur to him then, and his expression turned even more glum. "I know I shouldn't ask, but where's my shield?"  
  
Carson winced. "Yeah, about that..."  
  
"Drained by our flying-darkness-energy-eating friend, right?"  
  
The doctor nodded.  
  
"I figured." Rodney gave a wry half-smile. "Oh well. It's probably for the best-- it wouldn't be fair to the others if I were the smartest _and _toughest guy here."  
  
"Well, it's good to see you're not too tired to be insufferably arrogant." Carson hid a smile as Rodney fixed him with another withering glare. As much as he enjoyed teasing the excitable scientist, he had an honest fondness for Rodney; the man's heart was in the right place, that much was evident from his surprisingly heroic actions just a few hours earlier.  
  
On a whim, he reached out and put a hand on Rodney's shoulder. It was good to be able to make actual contact with the other man; it had been oddly unsettling to feel no human warmth the last time they'd touched, just the cold, tingling crackle of the energy field. But now he felt the familiar light material of Rodney's uniform and the heat of his skin underneath, and Rodney was giving him the strangest look but he found he didn't care. "You know... it was good, what you did," he said quietly, seriously.  
  
Rodney shifted slightly, clearly a bit uncomfortable at the abrupt change of mood. "I... I really didn't-- I mean, yeah, just call me hero guy." He faltered, his arrogant persona failing him momentarily. "But... you know, anyone would have. I didn't do it for praise or anything."  
  
"I know. But I'm telling you anyway-- I wanted to be the first to thank you for saving our lives." He was taking a risk, he knew; someone as acerbic and sarcastic as Rodney wasn't likely to react well to sentimentalism, and it was quite possible that he was making a fool out of himself. Still, he felt it needed to be said.  
  
Rodney frowned, as if he was unsure how to deal with such sincere gratitude; then his face broke into a small, wry, but honest smile. "You're welcome, but don't expect it on a regular basis. I hate to crush the noble heroic image you must have of me, but I'm far less likely to fling myself into the path of danger without the whole invulnerability thing to back me up."  
  
Carson laughed. "I'll keep that in mind." He withdrew his hand from the other man's shoulder, stepping back from the bed. "I'd better let you rest, though. Besides, I've got work to do-- one of the Athosian children has been feeling a little under the weather and Dr. Weir wants me to look him over."  
  
"Try not to catch any weird alien diseases," Rodney responded.  
  
"I'm guessing that's your idea of a pleasant farewell, so I appreciate the sentiment." With a little grin and a salute, Carson left the room. He felt lighter somehow, happy in a way he couldn't quite pin down. _Maybe,_ he thought, _more than one barrier was destroyed today._


End file.
